


the flames dividing us

by Bitway



Series: AUgust 2020 Writing Challenge [17]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Colosseum & XD
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Gen, alternatively a promare au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 09:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitway/pseuds/Bitway
Summary: It was supposed to be just another mission. Get in, save them from the flames, get out. Instead, he goes in, loses them, and finds out a shocking truth.AUgust Day 17 - Firefighters AU
Series: AUgust 2020 Writing Challenge [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860877
Kudos: 1
Collections: AUgust 2020





	the flames dividing us

"Be careful, Michael! These flames aren't normal."

"If they were, we wouldn't be here!"

Michael holds back a sigh at the comment Lovrin made. She was quick to snap back, but now wasn't the time for her to be picking a fight with Rui.

"Just tell me where to go. I need to get to those that are in here before the flames take down the whole building."

"Gotcha! Follow my command!"

Shortly after, the scanner that hung upon his ear flashes on. It reveals a layout of the building, showing his current location and where the other humans were. Most were running towards the exit and he trusts that Lovrina would help them out, but there was one unmoving dot in the center of the building.

He had to move- and quick!

Navigating through flames was never easy, no matter how many times he had gone through with this. The flames that Burnish produced could be wild and untamed, while others seem to have a precise movement. It was impossible to tell which was which until you came face to face with the Burnish who produced said flames.

"You hanging in there, Michael?"

"I'm fine, Rui!"

"Ugh. Don't bother him! If he messes up, this is on you!"

"Lovrina…"

"Hey!" Michael shouts, just in time to stop them. "I think I've found them!"

Up ahead, a door was on its hinges being devoured by the flames. Beyond that was a room engulfed in the fire. A lone figure is cowering in the center, with hands over the beanie they're wearing.

"Lovrina."

"On it~!"

Michael gulps before rushing into the fire. The heat was growing stronger and stronger, and he really wished that he had gone in a mech suit for this. But they had deemed the building too delicate for such big machinery. Which meant he had to go in the old fashion way.

"Hey! I'm here to help! My team is going to get you out of here!" Michael shouts to ensure the person will hear him.

The boy remains curled up, refusing to move. Michael takes a step forward, a hand reaching out for him. When his hand brushes against the boy's shoulder, he flinches and swats his hand away.

"Get away!"

As he shouts, a flame erupts from his hand.

A Burnish.

Michael takes a few steps back. He prepared the machine that was on his arm. It would shoot out a special ice, one that was cold enough to stop any Burnish flame.

"Please, stop the flames," Michael begs.

"I can't! Just get away!"

The boy produces more flames, and Michael raises his arm. He aims and fires. Ice covers his hand, causing some smoke to rise. Now he needed to aim for his other hand-

The sound of a roaring motorcycle is heard. It causes Michael to stop in his tracks. It's too loud, too close. The next thing he knows, one comes crashing in through the window behind the Burnish.

The rider is dawned in a black Burnish armor. They ride around and pause in front of the firefighter, blocking his view of the Burnish he was trying to aim for.

"You're coming with us."

"Don't worry, we'll help ya out!"

Michael hears voices coming from the other side of this motorcycle riding Burnish. He can't peer over, but he can catch a glimpse of them trying to escort him out of the building.

"Hey!" Michael narrows his eyes at the one before him. They still hadn't moved. He dares to raise his hand up to him, preparing to fire. "We have to take him in! All of you."

The Burnish only tilts his head as if challenging him. So he bites. He shoots. For a moment, Michael thinks he didn't even move. But he couldn't have taken the hit head on…could he?

Then he notices that he had hit him. It had grazed his armor and had revealed half of his face. Upon seeing it, he let out a gasp. He'd recognize that messy sandy hair, those sharp golden eyes, and the white line across his face anywhere.

"You're…"

Too stunned, Michael doesn't notice the flames beginning to grow at his feet.

"Get out of here before you burn."

Is all he says before the flames shoot up. A wall is set between them, one the firefighter cannot cross. He hears the motorcycle come to life and roar out of here. The next thing he hears is a helicopter above and a ladder thrown down by the broken window.

~…~

Michael finds Rui at her desk, busily typing up a report. He knows not to interrupt her while she was working, but this was important.

"Hey, Rui…?"

"Hm?" It takes a moment for her to pull her eyes off the screen. She's ready to tell him to give her a few more minutes, but something stops her. It wasn't often to see Michael wear a worried look on his face. "What's the matter?"

"I have a question to ask…if it's all right."

"I guess this report can wait a few minutes…" She turns in her seat to face him. "Shoot."

"You used to work with Wes, right?"

He nearly regrets asking this question. He hates seeing her face fall. It reminded him of the first time he had asked her about him. When he was young and new and didn't know her history with him. He still didn't. At least, he knew whatever the public knew. But not her story.

"I did…"

"I'm sorry, I just…you don't know what happened to him, right?"

Rui shakes her head. She turns in her seat to face the computer. Her hands remain in her lap.

"I don't. He just…disappeared one day. Without a word. There was no warning at all, he just…"

She stops talking. Michael doesn't press her further.

He thinks about what he saw earlier in the day and wonders if he should tell her. It would be the right thing to do…wouldn't it? He saw Wes. Her old partner. Except…he wasn't on their side anymore.

"Sorry. I just…" Michael tries to find something, an excuse to cover up his reason for this.

"It's okay." Rui turns to face him with a forced smile. "I miss him and I'm sure he's out there somewhere. I shouldn't let this get to me so much."

"We'll find him, Rui!" Michael shouts. "I believe he's out there too!"

Rui blinks in surprise before easing into a soft smile. She puts a hand onto his head and ruffles his red hair. As usual, Michael ends up pouting and she swears that she can hear the 'don't treat me like a little kid' comment bubbling in his chest. It makes her chuckle.

"Thanks. Now let me get back to work, okay?"

"All right."

Michael turns and leaves, letting her return to work. He lets out a sigh, guilt still eating at him for forcing her to recall old memories. He's too wrapped up into his thoughts to notice that he passes Lovrina.

"You're seriously going to pass me and not tell me what you were doing in her office?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, come on. Everyone knows not to bother her when she's doing a report. So, what'd you talk about?"

"I-It was nothing, really!"

Lovrina squints, not believing him for a second. He'd been acting a little weird ever since their earlier mission. It didn't seem like he could pry this out of him, not now anyway. But she'd figure something out.

"Well, I'm always here to talk if you need me to~. Later!"

"Yeah, thanks. Later."

Michael waves as she goes on her way. He figures it's best to just return to his room for the night and figure out what he would do with what he learned today. He never expected that his idol would turn out to be a Burnish.


End file.
